Big Smallmouth healthy in Winnipesaukee

JohnNH · 05-11-2005, 07:19 AM

On Sunday, 5/8/05, Northern Bass Supply held it's annual Smallmouth Only Open Tournament on Lake Winnipesaukee.

The great news is that the big smallmouth population is alive and well in the lake.

As many of you recall, there has been a great deal of discussion on this subject in the past years. Many of us have presented arguments that there has been a consistent age class presence in the lake and as always the cycle of growth will prove that Bass Fishing tournament catch & release tactics will prove to be beneficial.

The following is evidence that the big smallmouth are alive and well in Lake Winnipesaukee.

Large fish results for the event by size:
1 smallmouth at 5.29Lbs - large fish of the day (a monster by all standards)
1 smallmouth at 5.15Lbs - nice runner up.
6 smallmouth over 4Lbs.
31 smallmouth over 3Lbs.

This is real evidence that the health of the fishery is excellent and Winnipesaukee continues to be the jewel of New Hampshire.

Looking forward to your comments,
John/NH

Fat Jack · 05-11-2005, 07:55 AM

When I was a kid on the lake, I would consistently catch five and six pound bass, several in an evening. I have photo after photo from my youth of big fat bass that would win your tournament, caught on worms by a pre-teen kid in a rowboat. Stingers with three and four fish that were all bigger than your winner. And every summer there would be one or two real lunkers, over 7 pounds. I have a 7.5 pounder on my wall.
When you send a hundred "professional" bass fishermen out for a whole day and only two fish over 5 pounds are caught, it makes me very sad about the state of the smallmouth fishery of Lake Winnipesaukee.

JohnNH · 05-11-2005, 09:47 AM

Fat Jack,

I read your response:

Are we talking Smallmouth here?
7.5 smallie and depending on the year was a state record.

Note: Largemouth are consistantly in the 5, 6, 7 & 8 pound range.

PS: I noticed you mentioned stringers used = those fish died didn't they.

John/NH

Grant · 05-11-2005, 12:43 PM

John --

Very good point about the stringer. I remember lots of catches of big smallies back when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s, and all the local "master anglers" bringing in lots as well. Back then, "Catch and Cook" was the rule rather than the exception.

Over the past 15 years or so, I've made it my practice to release 99% of what i catch -- and those that are kept are kept because they probably would not survive after release.

I've definitely noticed a drop in the numbers of large smallmouths caught in our favorite areas in over the past decade -- something that I (personally) attribute to tournament pressure and general over-fishing. That being said, I have also seen a LOT of very large bass all over the while scuba diving -- and this is very reassuring. I've also learned that smallmouths are very curious, and will typically follow a diver for quite a distance.

I type this just moments after printing out my 2005 fishing license. I'm planning to do some salmon and laker fishing over the next four-five days, and plan to have at least one salmon on my grill. As Dr. Lyon said in his book, I'll be practicing "Catch & Filet"...

Thanks for the very interesting update on the smallmouth population. This is great news.

Fat Jack · 05-11-2005, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnNH

Are we talking Smallmouth here?

Yes, in those days there were no largemouths in the lake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnNH

7.5 smallie and depending on the year was a state record.

We did not worry about records in those days. Fishing was fun, and the fish were tasty. Want to buy this mount?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnNH

I noticed you mentioned stringers used = those fish died didn't they.

Yes, in those days they were so plentiful and easy to catch that it was common to keep and eat them. That is why I fished as a kid. With so little fishing pressure then, we could not have impacted the fishery if we tried. How times have changed.

DW1585 · 05-12-2005, 12:37 PM

John,
Although I did not fish, I was at the weigh-in on 5/8 and I was quite impressed with the weights of the smallies that were brought in. These fish were all in good condition and very healthy.

I believe that the lake is supporting not only a healthy population of bass but salmon, lake trout and rainbows as well. I'm sure there will be some lunker fish brought in at this weekend's Winni Derby.

I thought I might run into you up there at the weigh-in. I will before the summer is over. I am going to try and fish some NEBA tourneys if I am feeling up to it. Maybe I'll get lucky and fish where Grant is diving and he can lead some big ones to my boat!

See you on the water.

rickstr66 · 05-14-2005, 10:50 AM

Just maybe there were 100's of guys just like you doing the same thing summer after summer and thats why there are no 6 and 7 pound smallies swimming around like there used to be. Id also like to mention that the "spring loaded" scales of the 60's and 70's were by no means accurate at all. Depending on the condition of the spring in the scale they could be off by pounds not just ounces.

JohnNH · 05-16-2005, 08:43 AM

Unless I have my fishing history wrong, the Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass have been in NH waters since the mid-1860's.

Initially the LM & SM Bass were introduced privately. I recall reading about resorts in Sunapee and the Wolfeboro areas, as well as fishing guides that targeted multi species in many NH lakes. Note, there are also articles about special Bass fishing trips by Train from Boston dating back to the 1930's and 40's.

John/NH

Fat Jack · 05-17-2005, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickstr66

Depending on the condition of the spring in the scale they could be off by pounds not just ounces.

Are you saying that I might have actually been catching nine-pounders?

Jeff Furber · 05-17-2005, 12:38 PM

John, what was the weather like and can you give us an overview on how and what depth the fish were caught? Whats the water temp currently? Jeff

rickstr66 · 05-19-2005, 09:03 AM

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no !! Its my experience that when the springs are off its because they are stretched out and have gotten weak, resulting in higher then actual weight. Nice try though.

05-11-2005, 07:19 AM	#1
JohnNH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Weare, NH Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Big Smallmouth healthy in Winnipesaukee On Sunday, 5/8/05, Northern Bass Supply held it's annual Smallmouth Only Open Tournament on Lake Winnipesaukee. The great news is that the big smallmouth population is alive and well in the lake. As many of you recall, there has been a great deal of discussion on this subject in the past years. Many of us have presented arguments that there has been a consistent age class presence in the lake and as always the cycle of growth will prove that Bass Fishing tournament catch & release tactics will prove to be beneficial. The following is evidence that the big smallmouth are alive and well in Lake Winnipesaukee. Large fish results for the event by size: 1 smallmouth at 5.29Lbs - large fish of the day (a monster by all standards) 1 smallmouth at 5.15Lbs - nice runner up. 6 smallmouth over 4Lbs. 31 smallmouth over 3Lbs. This is real evidence that the health of the fishery is excellent and Winnipesaukee continues to be the jewel of New Hampshire. Looking forward to your comments, John/NH

05-11-2005, 07:55 AM	#2
Fat Jack Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 183 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Very Sad When I was a kid on the lake, I would consistently catch five and six pound bass, several in an evening. I have photo after photo from my youth of big fat bass that would win your tournament, caught on worms by a pre-teen kid in a rowboat. Stingers with three and four fish that were all bigger than your winner. And every summer there would be one or two real lunkers, over 7 pounds. I have a 7.5 pounder on my wall. When you send a hundred "professional" bass fishermen out for a whole day and only two fish over 5 pounds are caught, it makes me very sad about the state of the smallmouth fishery of Lake Winnipesaukee.

05-11-2005, 09:47 AM	#3
JohnNH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Weare, NH Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Fat Jack, I read your response: Are we talking Smallmouth here? 7.5 smallie and depending on the year was a state record. Note: Largemouth are consistantly in the 5, 6, 7 & 8 pound range. PS: I noticed you mentioned stringers used = those fish died didn't they. John/NH Last edited by JohnNH; 05-11-2005 at 09:49 AM.

05-11-2005, 12:43 PM	#4
Grant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pennsyltuckey, Tuftonboro, Moultonborough Posts: 1,485 Thanks: 337 Thanked 212 Times in 116 Posts	Big Smallies John -- Very good point about the stringer. I remember lots of catches of big smallies back when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s, and all the local "master anglers" bringing in lots as well. Back then, "Catch and Cook" was the rule rather than the exception. Over the past 15 years or so, I've made it my practice to release 99% of what i catch -- and those that are kept are kept because they probably would not survive after release. I've definitely noticed a drop in the numbers of large smallmouths caught in our favorite areas in over the past decade -- something that I (personally) attribute to tournament pressure and general over-fishing. That being said, I have also seen a LOT of very large bass all over the while scuba diving -- and this is very reassuring. I've also learned that smallmouths are very curious, and will typically follow a diver for quite a distance. I type this just moments after printing out my 2005 fishing license. I'm planning to do some salmon and laker fishing over the next four-five days, and plan to have at least one salmon on my grill. As Dr. Lyon said in his book, I'll be practicing "Catch & Filet"... Thanks for the very interesting update on the smallmouth population. This is great news. __________________ "When I die, please don't let my wife sell my dive gear for what I told her I paid for it."

05-14-2005, 10:50 AM	#7
rickstr66 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston, Ma Posts: 63 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Jack.. maybe Just maybe there were 100's of guys just like you doing the same thing summer after summer and thats why there are no 6 and 7 pound smallies swimming around like there used to be. Id also like to mention that the "spring loaded" scales of the 60's and 70's were by no means accurate at all. Depending on the condition of the spring in the scale they could be off by pounds not just ounces.

05-12-2005, 12:37 PM	#6
DW1585 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	John, Although I did not fish, I was at the weigh-in on 5/8 and I was quite impressed with the weights of the smallies that were brought in. These fish were all in good condition and very healthy. I believe that the lake is supporting not only a healthy population of bass but salmon, lake trout and rainbows as well. I'm sure there will be some lunker fish brought in at this weekend's Winni Derby. I thought I might run into you up there at the weigh-in. I will before the summer is over. I am going to try and fish some NEBA tourneys if I am feeling up to it. Maybe I'll get lucky and fish where Grant is diving and he can lead some big ones to my boat! See you on the water.

05-16-2005, 08:43 AM	#8
JohnNH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Weare, NH Posts: 72 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Largemouth Introduced in the Mid 1860's Unless I have my fishing history wrong, the Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass have been in NH waters since the mid-1860's. Initially the LM & SM Bass were introduced privately. I recall reading about resorts in Sunapee and the Wolfeboro areas, as well as fishing guides that targeted multi species in many NH lakes. Note, there are also articles about special Bass fishing trips by Train from Boston dating back to the 1930's and 40's. John/NH

05-17-2005, 12:38 PM	#10
Jeff Furber Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Hopkinton, Mass Posts: 34 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Smallies on Winnie John, what was the weather like and can you give us an overview on how and what depth the fish were caught? Whats the water temp currently? Jeff

05-19-2005, 09:03 AM	#11
rickstr66 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston, Ma Posts: 63 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Jack.... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh no !! Its my experience that when the springs are off its because they are stretched out and have gotten weak, resulting in higher then actual weight. Nice try though.